•
Firefighters refer to fire hydrants as
"plugs". This terminology came about
because the first water mains where made
of wood and wooden plugs were inserted
so that firefighters could access the
water.
•
Many years ago,
homes had roofs made of thatch (straw).
When they caught fire it was nearly
impossible to extinguish them and with
houses typically built close together,
when one caught fire they all caught
fire. Later,
houses were constructed with a metal
ring secured in the end of the roof so
if the house caught fire the
firefighters could grab the ring with a
hook and pull the house over to prevent
other houses from catching fire.
•
The first
fire departments were paid by the
insurance companies. If you didn't buy
insurance, they would let your house
burn.
|
•
The firefighter badge
of today is patterned after the famous Maltese Cross
of the Knights of St. John. During the Crusades,
those that battled the naphtha fires of the Saracens
to save their fellow crusaders were recognized and
awarded the Maltese Cross. Today, as in medieval
times, this badge remains a symbol of protection and
honor for those who fight fire and sacrifice their
lives to save others.
•
The
Dalmatian or "fire dog" originated in England as a
carriage dog. It would run beside the
carriage keeping other dogs away from the path of
the horses. The Dalmatian served the same purpose
for the horse-drawn fire engine of the early days.
•
The
International Association of Firefighters is an
AFL-CIO affiliated labor union representing more
than 225,000 professional firefighters and emergency
medical personnel in United States and Canada. IAFF
members protect more than 85% of the lives and
property in North America and are the largest
providers of pre-hospital emergency-related medical
care.
•
In 1666
the Great Fire of London ravaged 2/3 of the city
destroying 13,000 homes, 87 churches, 20 warehouses
and 100,000 boats and barges. Remarkably, only
6 lives were lost. |
